Head of an Old Woman Looking to Lower Right (Saint Elizabeth)

Art Historical Context

Federico Barocci, a masterful Italian painter from Urbino active during the late Renaissance, created this intimate *Head of an Old Woman to Lower Right (Saint)* around 1584–86. Likely a preparatory study for a larger religious composition, it captures the contemplative gaze of Saint Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, her wrinkled features conveying wisdom and quiet devotion. Barocci's work bridges Mannerism and early Baroque, Raphael's grace with Correggio's soft luminosity, and this piece exemplifies his fascination with expressive heads. Rendered in brush and oil paint on paper—a r...

About the Artist

Federico Barocci · 1535–1612

Federico Barocci (c. 1535–1612) was an Italian painter from Urbino whose luminous, emotionally tender religious paintings made him one of the most original and influential artists of the late sixteenth century, bridging Mannerism and the early Baroque. Born in Urbino, the city of Raphael, he studied under Battista Franco and traveled to Rome, where he absorbed the lessons of Raphael, Correggio, an...